


when you're with me

by sugarsweetsunshine



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Comfort, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Pegoryu Discord Secret Santa 2020, Secret Santa, Surprises, author doesn't know when to stop at a reasonable length
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:22:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28307460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugarsweetsunshine/pseuds/sugarsweetsunshine
Summary: Akira has returned to his hometown but everything's changed. He's tried to keep Ryuji from noticing, but Ryuji is more attentive than he gives him credit for. When Ryuji notices how down in the dumps his boyfriend is, he decides to do something that he knows for sure will cheer him up.
Relationships: Kurusu Akira/Sakamoto Ryuji, Persona 5 Protagonist/Sakamoto Ryuji
Comments: 4
Kudos: 46





	when you're with me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nugg](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nugg/gifts).



> So this was for a Secret Santa gift exchange and my rabbit out of the hat just happened to be the incredibly talented Nugg, and it was an honor to be able to write for them since I admire them and look up to their writing a lot
> 
> For this fic, I had trouble deciding which prompt of theirs to write about and I decided to sort of mash a few of them together to create this. So the prompt for this is something along the lines of domestic fluff and surprising someone. I really hope you like this one, Nugg!!

His eyes burned from endlessly staring at his phone screen and his thumb was starting to ache from scrolling through messages and videos, but Akira couldn’t bring himself to care very much. There was nothing else to do except sit on the couch and feel sorry for himself.

His parents had left a few days ago on a business trip, with little notice except for a quick one minute discussion the night before and a small note on the fridge. They never told him when they were leaving until right before, a trend that continued from his childhood. He didn’t learn until much later in his life that they shouldn’t have been leaving him alone for that long, but it taught him how to take care of himself and be more independent. 

An eight year old shouldn’t be learning independence at that age, but a little late to do anything about it now.

His phone vibrated in his hand, showing a picture of him and Ryuji at Dome Town taken last year, decorated with little photoshopped hearts and glitter. He smiled on instinct at the picture. He was such a sap.

Ryuji wanted to video call, though. He certainly wasn’t dressed for the occasion; he’d been sitting on the couch for hours in nothing but his sweatshirt and pajama pants. Not to mention he hadn’t showered yet today and he was _sure_ his hair was a mess. But, he couldn’t say no to Ryuji. And his boyfriend would probably be too polite to tell him he looked like garbage.

Akira straightened up on the couch, letting the blanket around his shoulders drop down into his lap. He ran a few fingers through his messy hair. There was no mirror around for him to freshen up so this would have to do for now. Hopefully, Ryuji wouldn’t notice.

He pressed the green button and all of a sudden his screen was filled with his smiling, blonde boyfriend. Akira already felt a wide smile tugging at his lips; even miles away, Ryuji’s happiness was still infectious. 

“Hey, man! How’s it going?” Ryuji’s excited voice filtered through the phone speaker. It felt so good to hear his voice, even if the last time they talked had only been two days ago and they’d talked for almost six hours.

“Hey, you. Nothing much. I’m just at home.” Akira cleared his throat a little after speaking. He hadn’t realized how dry his throat was until now. There wasn’t anyone to talk to around here and most of his communication was through sending texts to his friends in Tokyo.

“Haven’t you been at home for the whole week already? Don’t you go outside? You always said your town was full of shops and cool places to visit.” Ryuji was moving around his house while he spoke, the background shifting from a wall of family photos to the familiar setting of the Sakamoto kitchen. He was probably making dinner for him and his mom for when she got home from work.

Akira tried to keep his face neutral. “Yeah, but it gets a little uncomfortable being out there for too long. Everyone still kinda recognizes me after last year. I get some weird looks from time to time.” 

He didn’t like telling any of his friends and family in Tokyo about his life in his hometown ever since he got back. It was almost like the entire atmosphere of the town changed when he came around. Sometimes, all he wanted was to be able to go get some groceries without an old woman giving him a dirty look or a mom pulling her young son away from him. He wasn’t _diseased_ but the smalltown folk around here sure acted like he was.

Ryuji obviously didn’t like the sound of that. “That’s bullshit, man. We worked our asses off to prove you were innocent! Isn’t that enough for them?”

“Country folk are different from city folk, Ryuji. I don’t think proving my innocence will change their opinions about me overnight.”

“That’s still completely bullshit.” Ryuji’s little frown shouldn’t have been as cute as it was but it still made Akira smile. It made him want to kiss that furrow between his eyebrows away.

“It’s okay, Ryuji. I’ll be able to move back soon and we won’t have to deal with it anymore.” At the gentle reminder that his boyfriend would be coming back in just under a year’s time, Ryuji’s expression softened considerably. They were both excited for Akira to come back and Ryuji promised to keep his grades up for the chance to go to the same college as Akira. 

“Oh, hey! If you’re at home, where’s your parents? You look like you’re sitting in your living room.”

Oh, right. He almost forgot. Akira had idly mentioned seeing someone in the city. He didn’t mention a gender but he knew his parents well enough that he knew that they eventually figured it out themselves. They didn’t say anything, but everytime he texted Ryuji or talked on the phone with one of his parents in the room, they just gave off this aura of disapproval and almost tainted those moments.

It was a gift, really.

“They’re on a business trip out of the country. They left almost a week ago.”

“And you don’t know when they’ll be back.” It wasn’t a question.

Akira only shrugged as a response and he heard Ryuji sigh through the phone’s speakers. 

“They don’t see you for a full year, they hardly ever called you when you were gone, and now that you’re home, they won’t even stick around the house.” Ryuji ended his mini-rant by leaning against his kitchen counter. Akira could see his living room in the background. The TV was on but Akira couldn’t see what was on it and it was muted. There was a clear indent on the couch where Ryuji had been lounging.

“That’s just how it is, Ryuji. It doesn’t bother me, really.” The last time they talked about this, it turned into an argument when Ryuji got too heated. It was one of their first arguments and Akira didn’t like thinking about it too much. “I don’t really wanna talk about it. Tell me what everyone’s been up to. What’s the city been like?”

The change in topic was welcome for both of them and eventually all the negative feelings were forgotten.

Ryuji was working part-time while keeping up on his schoolwork. He said it was to be a little more independent and to help out his mom from time to time; but the little gifts that he kept sending in the mail suggested otherwise. Akira still wore that Featherman sweatshirt he sent him almost daily. 

Ann also sent him things in the mail. Mostly letters, pages from magazines she’s been featured in, in outfits and poses she was particularly proud of. She talked about Shiho a lot in the letters, too. About how well her physical therapy has worked out, the new people she’s met in her new school. Akira liked her letters; it gave him an excuse to sit down and write one out himself. They still texted and called but the letters were special. He’d started a small collection of them in a box under his bed.

Futaba was getting better about going to school. She had Ryuji and Ann to keep her company during lunch and after school, and apparently she’d taken a page out of Akira’s book and kept Morgana in her bag and her desk. They’d both agreed that Futaba would need Morgana’s support more than Akira would need him. Akira was so proud of her already for her progress but he also needed to know that she would be alright without him there and he trusted Morgana to help her. 

That didn’t mean he didn’t miss the little guy when he was stuck home alone, but he kept that to himself.

Yusuke was growing his portfolio more and more. His confidence had increased so much compared to last year and Akira could see it in his bright and vibrant paintings and portraits. Haru had even commissioned him for a few paintings to replace some ‘boring’ old ones in her home. It made Akira want to commission him too; maybe a big, fancy portrait of Joker to hang up in the attic.

Haru’s foray into university was going well too, along with Makoto’s. Akira frequently got texts with pictures of Haru’s latest coffee experiments and Makoto’s outings with her sister in an attempt to fix their relationship. 

It made Akira feel good to see his friends branching out and enjoying themselves, like they deserved to do.

He just wished he could be there with them.

They talked for well over an hour. About school, about their friends, about what they would do first when Akira made it back to Tokyo. The only thing that made them stop was the sound of Ryuji’s apartment door opening and a woman’s voice calling out a greeting.

“Hi, ma! Come see who I’m talkin’ to!” Ryuji turned his phone screen to show his mother, who had just walked in in her work clothes and set her purse down. Akira smiled and waved and as soon as she realized who was on the phone, Ryuji’s mother brightened considerably.

“Oh, Akira! Hi, sweetheart! How have you been?” 

It was no secret that Ryuji’s mother _adored_ Akira and the feeling was mutual. She was the sweetest woman alive (she had to be if she gave birth to _Ryuji_ ) and was never shy to show affection, both to her son and his boyfriend. It baffled Akira at first that someone that wasn’t his mother would treat him like he was her own. 

It also made him reconsider his own relationship with his mother but that was too complicated to think of right now. 

“Hi, Aiko. I’ve been good. The country’s got nothing on the city, though. Can’t wait to come back.”

“Well, we can’t wait for you either, hon. I miss having you over for dinner. Ryuji just can’t make curry the way you can.”

_“Mom!”_

Akira laughed at Ryuji’s flushed face. It felt good to laugh like this; it was almost like he was there with them. But, Ryuji’s mom worked a lot and he didn’t want to cut into their time together. They only had so much of it.

“I should probably let you go, ‘Yuji. Go hang out with your mom.” Ryuji’s disappointed face was cute and yet so sad that Akira didn’t want to hang up.

“Are you sure? Ma would love to talk to you.” 

“I’d love to talk, too, but you guys should go eat dinner together. I need to get dinner started over here, anyway.” Dinner for one, maybe. But he hadn’t eaten all day and watching Ryuji cook almost made him drool. 

“M’kay. If you say so. Love you, ‘Kira.”

“I love you too, Ryuji. Talk to you later.”

Ryuji pressed the red button and watched Akira’s face disappear, replaced with a photo of him taken at Inokashira park. He wasn’t wearing his glasses and he was smiling at the camera. Ryuji missed that smile so much. It wasn’t the same as seeing his smile over a screen.

“You miss him, don’t you, sweetie?” His mom’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts. She was still in her work clothes, minus her jacket, and Ryuji reminded himself to get her to change before she ate.

“Yeah. A lot.” He pocketed his phone and decided to busy himself by putting the finishing touches on dinner. “It’s not the same without him here. He’s not happy there either, I can tell. He tries to hide it from me but it’s way too obvious.”

It stung a little knowing that Akira was actively trying to hide stuff from Ryuji, but only in the sense that they were able to tell each other everything when Akira still lived in the city. There weren’t any secrets they felt like keeping and now that there was distance between them, Akira was becoming more and more reclusive, whether he noticed it or not. 

“He keeps trying to get me to not worry about him, but I know he’s not happy there, mom. Everybody in town still holds his record against him and his parents are never around, either.” 

At the mention of Akira’s parents, Aiko frowned. She’d never met them, never even seen a photo of them, but Ryuji talked enough about Akira’s family that the mere mention of them made her brows furrow. “They spend a year with their son sent away and when he’s finally home, they don’t even stick around to see him.”

“That’s what I said!”

The timer on his phone for the vegetables went off and he turned both it and the stove off. “Food’s ready. Get outta those clothes already, ma. You shoulda changed the second you walked in the door.”

“Well, we can’t all be like you, ‘Yuji.” His mother pinched his cheek as she walked by and he playfully shrugged her off. “Thank you for cooking, sweetie. You didn’t have to-”

“But I wanted to.” Ryuji began piling some food on a plate. “I’ll make your plate, Mom, don’t worry about it.”

“You’re a good boy, Ryuji. Akira is a lucky guy.” Aiko was down the hall before Ryuji could yell back at her. 

It didn’t matter if his mom was supportive of his relationship, _it was still so embarrassing._

He knew his mom worked hard so she deserved a good dinner that she didn’t have to make herself. It was the least he could do to help out.

But he couldn’t stop thinking about Akira. How he was left alone in his big, empty house. Stuck in a town without anyone there for him. It wasn’t fair; Akira was a good person who didn’t deserve all the shit the world had thrown at him. Ryuji was proud to call him his boyfriend, and he’d been more than proud to call him his leader during their thieving days.

Ryuji had never met Akira’s parents in person, but in hindsight it was probably a good thing. He was getting better at controlling his temper and not lashing out immediately but his patience was being tested. It just bothered him so much how _little_ they seemed to care about their own son. Calling him maybe once or twice during a full year apart and then leaving him immediately once they were living under the same roof again. It just wasn’t how parents were supposed to treat their kids. 

He could tell Akira was trying to hide how it all affected him, but Ryuji liked to think that he knew Akira more than anyone. They’d been nearly inseparable during Akira’s year in Tokyo. Which is why it hurt so much that Akira wouldn’t open up to him anymore. It took him months into their friendship to get Akira to really come out of his shell. Ryuji wasn’t ready for him to close himself off again.

It only took him about four seconds to make up his mind. Ryuji carefully placed his mom’s dinner plate on the kitchen table and then pulled out his phone on his way back to the kitchen to make his own.

~~~

For a second, Akira mistook the knocking on the door for a sound on TV. But a quick peek from the doorway of the kitchen into the living room confirmed that he did, in fact, mute the TV when he went into the kitchen. He hated the commercials on this channel, anyway.

Akira turned the stove off before leaving the kitchen, walking faster to get to the door once whoever was behind it started knocking again. It couldn’t have been his parents, they weren’t supposed to be back for another two or three weeks. But he couldn’t think of anyone who would come knocking to see _him_.

“I’m coming, hold on!” The knocking was incessant. If it was that nosy old guy that lived down the block again, Akira couldn’t be held responsible for the things he would say. 

He pulled the door open, preemptively preparing himself to deal with a nuisance, but the second he stepped into the doorway, a cat was shoved unceremoniously into his face in a blur of black and white.

“Surprise!”

Morgana looked completely unimpressed being held up by the armpits by Ryuji, but he at least looked happy to see Akira. Maybe. Sometimes it was hard to tell. 

“You happy to see us?!” Ryuji’s excited face showed up behind the cat and the sight of him was what made Akira’s brain function again.

“Ryuji? Mona? _Ryuji?!_ ” It was hard for him to put together that _his boyfriend_ , from the _city_ , was _here in the countryside._

Morgana started squirming in Ryuji’s hold, little paws flailing around with his pink pads exposed. “Put me down already! I never agreed to this!”

“Oh, bullshit! I didn’t even ask if you wanted to come, you jumped into my bag!” Ryuji let go of Mona and the cat dropped down onto all fours. He swiped a paw over his whiskers, akin to a human fixing his hair, and then proceeded to wind himself around Akira’s legs, purring loud enough to rival a chainsaw at full power.

“Wh-What are you doing here?” Akira looked between Ryuji and Morgana, still completely dumbstruck at seeing the two standing on his front doorstep.

“Oh, no particular reason. Just missed my boyfriend and I _heard_ that his parents were out of town, so it was the perfect time to drop by and see him.” Ryuji stepped forward and gently grabbed Akira’s hand as he spoke, massaging his thumb into Akira’s palm like he knew he loved.

It took Akira a moment for what he said to sink in; he was mostly just focused on how Ryuji’s fingers slipped so easily into his. But then he realized that Ryuji took a train, probably sitting for _hours_ , from the city to his little town, just to see him because he was lonely. 

He had the best boyfriend ever.

“You really came to see me?” The hand in his own squeezed gently and his thumb never stopped moving in little circles.

“Of course I did! I missed you.” Ryuji brought their conjoined hands up so he could kiss the back of Akira’s. It made Akira more flustered than it should’ve been. Ryuji wasn’t usually this affectionate out in public, but maybe it had something to do with the boldness that came from not knowing anybody around town.

Speaking of which, it was probably best to get inside before one of his neighbors spotted him.

“Come on. Can’t leave my boyfriend out in the cold.” Akira tugged him in by the arm but a black blur darted in between his legs before Ryuji stepped into the doorway.

“Hey, what am I? Chopped liver?” Morgana’s whiskers twitched indignantly and Akira was reminded of the cat’s constant desire for attention.

Akira shut the door behind Ryuji and then immediately leaned down to scoop Morgana’s up into his arms, ignoring the cat’s loud howls of protest from being caught off guard and “manhandled”.

“Aww, how could I ever forget you, Mona?” Akira buried his face into the fur in the back of Mona’s neck, where it was arguably the thickest. He could hear the cat growling over his over the top cooing and he couldn’t help but laugh. He pulled his face away and adjusted Morgana so he sat more comfortably in his arms.

“I’m being serious. I’m glad you’re here, Mona. I missed you too.” Akira scratched behind one of his ears, in the spot that he knew Morgana liked but would never admit. As expected, he started purring and leaning into the hand for more scratches.

“Aww, I knew you’d miss me!” Morgana’s purring increased tenfold, his little cat smile on full display to show how happy he was. 

“Well, you were practically attached to his hip last year.” Ryuji came up from behind and leaned in closer to Akira’s ear to stage-whisper. “You should’ve seen his separation anxiety. He still sleeps in your old bed in the attic.”

All at once, Mona went stiff in his arms, his ears fell back flat against his head, and his purring stopped like a needle coming off a record. “Don’t tell him that!” 

Akira laughed, pure joy in his heart. It had been so long since he’d been this happy; the last time was when he was still with his friends in the city. Just having two of his favorite people beside him was enough.

At a sudden thought, Akira gently dropped Morgana onto the couch and turned around to pull Ryuji into a tight hug. He immediately buried his face into his shoulder, breathing in the scent of Ryuji’s brand of deodorant and citrus shower gel.

“I almost forgot to do this.” He murmured, a little muffled from his shoulder. Strong arms wrapped tight around him and stray strands of blonde hair tickled his ears. “I missed you so much.”

“I missed you too, ‘Kira. I didn’t realize how much I would miss you until you were gone.” Ryuji’s voice was a low rumble against his neck where his lips were pressed.

For what simultaneously felt like forever and not long enough, they stood there in Akira’s living room, wrapped tight around each other, soaking in each other’s presence. It almost felt like it wasn’t real. Just last night, he went to bed thinking of Ryuji. The week before he had to leave, when they spent as much time together as possible. They went back to the beefbowl shop where they first sat down and talked about Akira’s probation. Akira won him a few prizes from the claw machine in the arcade (when Ryuji was fully convinced that it was rigged and still kept those plushies close to his bed). Ryuji bought them some Big Bang Burger to go and they spent the night curled up in his bedroom, watching bad movies with takeout and falling asleep tangled up together. 

Ryuji gave him his skull necklace right before they had to go back to the city and leave him behind. It was still laying against Akira’s collarbone where they were pressed together. 

(Akira tried to bargain for Ryuji’s purple hoodie too, but he had to settle. One day, he’ll get that hoodie.)

He felt Ryuji’s arm shift around his waist and he was about to pull away when those arms tightened and suddenly he was being lifted into the air. It startled a laugh out of him as Ryuji spun him around, a big bright smile on his adorable face. 

“Ugh, it feels like I’m watching some sappy holiday movie. Get a room!” Morgana yowled from where he was already sprawled out on the couch. Didn’t take him long to make himself at home.

“Excuse you, but this is _my_ house.” Ryuji dropped him to his feet, but Akira stayed plastered to Ryuji’s side. “Technically, every room is my room.”

As an alternative response, he tilted Ryuji’s face towards his and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. His lips were soft, if slightly chapped, and it immediately took Akira back to all the times they kissed in the privacy of Leblanc’s attic. And all the other times when they could sneak kisses in public or the Metaverse or, when they felt particularly bold, in school. When they pulled away, Akira wanted nothing more than to dive back in and kiss him until their lips went numb.

“And now that your parents are gone, we can do whatever we want.” Ryuji pressed a big, obnoxious kiss to his cheek to accentuate the point.

He was right, though. His parents would still be gone for a while, which meant no interruptions and all the privacy they wanted. Well, excluding Mona. He acted like if he wasn’t in Akira’s business at all times, he would _die_. Just keel over on the spot.

“Hey, something smells good.” Oh, right. He almost forgot.

“Oh, I was right in the middle of making lunch. You hungry?” 

“Hell yeah!” 

~~~

Lunch was more eventful today than it usually was. Akira had to make more for himself, Ryuji, and a smaller bowl for Mona. But the company made everything so much more fun. It was so much better than the instant noodles and frozen dinners that were easy to make but had less flavor to them.

They sat on the couch, curled up together with the biggest blanket Akira could find, eating as much food as they could eat, watching whatever dumb shows Akira could find. Morgana ate his fill and laid back with his full belly exposed, paws curled in the air and a happy smile on his kitty face. He didn’t even mind when Akira reached over to give him belly rubs.

There was no real hurry for anything so they decided the dishes could wait a little bit. Cuddling up on the couch was way more important. Akira made himself comfy by sprawling over Ryuji, head over his heartbeat. He was already sleepy from a full stomach, the nice, soft heat of the blanket and his boyfriend combined, but when Ryuji’s fingers started untangling the knots in his curls, it was more than easy to fall asleep like that.

When he woke up, it was darker outside and the living room was illuminated by the light of the TV. Ryuji was fast asleep, hands resting on Akira’s lower back under the blanket. Morgana was snoring, probably louder than a cat can snore, but he was curled up on one end of the blanket, paws curled in as he slept on his side and tail curled around his body. 

It was dark enough that they probably missed dinner, but lunch was filling enough that he still wasn’t hungry. But, they still had leftovers and they shouldn’t go to waste. But he was _comfortable._

With a heavy sigh, Akira carefully peeled himself away from Ryuji’s side. It probably took him almost five minutes to get out from under the blankets without waking either of them, and even longer to fight off the temptation to crawl back into the blanket pile and go back to sleep.

He didn’t turn on the kitchen light so as not to wake them, but trudging around in the dark while half-asleep meant putting away leftovers took longer than it should’ve. That nap was probably the best sleep he’s gotten since he got home and he almost couldn’t wait to go back to sleep.

Ryuji and Mona were still out of it by the time he wandered back into the living room, but the extra space meant the two were spread out even more. One of Mona’s paws was pushing against Ryuji’s cheek and Ryuji had his fingers curled up in the cat’s fur. It was so cute, Akira was tempted to find his phone to take a picture. But it was late enough and he wanted to go back to sleep.

It was hard to disrupt the peace but Akira reached over to shake both of them awake, two pairs of eyes slowly blinking up at him.

“Come on, we can’t sleep on the couch.”

Ryuji yawned and stretched his arms up over his head with a groan. “But it’s so comfyyyy.” 

“You’ll hurt your back sleeping like that. The bed is way comfier, come on.” 

Morgana stretched out his paws in front of him (and Akira resisted the urge to touch his little pink toe beans sticking out) and stood along with Ryuji, following them all the way up the stairs and down the hall towards Akira’s bedroom.

His bedroom was modest, but still around three times bigger than Ryuji’s bedroom in Tokyo. Akira was always so modest about his family’s wealth, sometimes it was hard to remember how well off he was. His bed was three times as big as Ryuji’s too, and Ryuji wasted no time in faceplanting in the soft sheets. 

“Scoot over.” A hand nudged at his side and Ryuji answered with a groan into the pillows. He hadn’t realized how tired that train ride had made him until he’d fallen asleep on Akira’s comfy-ass couch. But he was right; the bed was _so much better._

He heard some shuffling around the room and then a heavy weight on the mattress beside him. He looked up as Akira was crawling under the blankets, dressed in his pajamas. It was dark in the room, minus the light from the window, but he could faintly see the graphic design of a shirt he’d sent Akira nearly a month ago, and he was wearing a pair of sweatpants that the little thief had stolen from him back in Tokyo and hadn’t given them back.

Ryuji smiled and wrapped an arm around Akira’s waist, tugging him in close so he could bury his face into his side. It hadn't fully sunk in until just now but he was in _Akira’s room;_ not an attic that smelled like dust and coffee, but Akira’s actual room in his actual house. It felt like Akira, too. The room was a little bland. A big desk with his laptop and what looked like schoolwork, a large closet with the door wide open to show off how disorganized it was. But the most eye catching part was the huge multi-layered shelf by his door. It was almost completely covered with all the trinkets and gifts Akira had collected during his time in the city. It was the most colorful thing in the room, and was placed so he could always see it no matter where he was in the room.

“You’re not gonna sleep in your jeans, are you?” 

Ryuji groaned, already halfway asleep, and half heartedly removed his jeans under the covers. He tossed them across the room, not even caring about his phone still in his pocket.

“There. That better?”

“As long as you’re not sleeping in jeans. I love you, babe, but I gotta draw the line somewhere.”

“Understandable.”

~~~ 

The next day, Akira, surprisingly, volunteered to take Ryuji out on the town. 

It was a welcome surprise, even though Ryuji planned on them staying inside and chilling in the house all day. He didn’t think Akira would _want_ to go out but maybe it was his excuse to show Ryuji around. They didn’t exactly get the opportunity the last time Ryuji was here. Morgana decided to explore around by himself, assuring Akira that he could find his way back before darting off down the street. 

True to what Akira had told him, the town was mostly filled with shops and businesses. A tool shop, a flower shop, a general store, another general store, a bakery, a cafe, a supermarket. It was kinda neat. Ryuji had never been to a countryside town before. It was way different than the crowded streets of the city. The air was fresher here, too.

If Akira noticed anybody giving him dirty looks, he didn’t say anything. He was too busy talking and pointing out various points of interest to really notice anything else. He didn’t even notice that they’d been holding hands since they left the house that morning. Ryuji saw out of the corner of his eye, an older couple staring them down as if their disapproving gazes would pull them apart telepathically. Ryuji stuck his tongue out once he made eye contact and grinned to himself as the woman practically clutched her pearls and Akira pulled him away to their next destination.

Seeing Akira looking so happy and carefree was an amazing sight. He didn’t look nervous or worried or anxious or tired. It was kind of like when he was still in Tokyo, and the environment of the city gave him some new perspective he didn’t get in the countryside. But even then, they still had to watch their backs. Akira had the constant reminder of his probation via the journal he always kept in his pocket, and as things heated up with the Phantom Thieves, eventually being out in public was enough to make him nervous. A criminal in plain sight.

This was entirely different. He looked so relaxed. No worries at all. He wasn’t even wearing his glasses anymore. His eyes were so beautiful, but they were so hard to see under those big, nerdy glasses. When the sunlight hit him at the perfect angle, he could rival Ann as the top model.

Of course, if Ryuji said all this outloud, he would sound like a total sap and Akira would probably tease him but they would still laugh about it. He couldn’t help it when his boyfriend was literally _this_ adorable.

(Nevermind the fact that Ryuji never expected any of this to happen. Falling in love with a guy was on his list of the least likely of all things to happen in his life, but here he was. Not that he would ever complain about it.)

By the time they had their adventuring fill, the sun was starting to set and the weather was getting cooler by the minute. Their hands were filled with bags. An assortment of foods, some rental DVDs to watch, and souvenirs for Ryuji to take home with him. They met up with Mona about a block from Akira’s house, where he was lounging on top of a neighbor’s brick wall. When they asked about his whereabouts, the cat skirted around the question and trotted along the sidewalk. But judging by the crumbs still on his whiskers and his full belly, Akira suspected he’d been mooching off the little old lady that worked at the bakery, who he knew had a special love for cats.

Since Ryuji had decided to stay for a few days, at least, they decided on a plan of staying up all night watching as many movies as they could and spending as much time together as possible. They bought as many snacks as they could carry and Akira had no shortage of comfortable pillows and blankets.

But as soon as they walked into the house, all three felt a chill in the air that made them shiver. It was colder inside than it was outside. 

“Gah, it’s freezing in here.” Ryuji set down the bags to zip up his sweatshirt. “You said you had a whole closet full’a blankets, right?”

Akira opened his mouth to say yes and tell Ryuji where to find them when an idea he hadn’t thought of before popped into his mind.

“Actually, I have a better idea. Come on, follow me.” 

The basement wasn’t used as often as it should’ve been. His parents spent quite a bit of money on renovating it and turning it into a sort of lounging area, meant for entertaining company or somewhere to relax. But they hardly had the time for company and whatever time they _did_ have was spent on other projects or time for themselves. Akira normally only went down to do laundry and maybe when he wanted to relax alone, but he used his room for that more often nowadays.

It was a large, spacious area and yet it was still filled with clutter. A large sectional couch took up most of the space, placed in front of an equally large television. A doorway that led into the laundry room. Boxes filled with… who knows what, really. They weren’t labelled and Akira never bothered to check. Maybe old holiday decorations or family antiques? 

“Woah. Holy shit, dude. This place is huge.” Ryuji looked around with wide eyes as he followed Akira down the stairs, Morgana winding his way through their legs to get down first. The room looked amazing but, being underground, the chill was even more pronounced down here.

“Put the bags down here and get comfy, I’ve gotta get something.” Akira pointed at a small table near the couch where he already piled his bags onto and turned towards a doorway right next to the laundry room. Ryuji heard a door open and the sound of shuffling and things being either moved or knocked over.

He debated on getting up and just going over to help him when Akira popped out again, struggling to carry something out of a closet. He tried tugging whatever he was trying to get out a few times before he looked to his boyfriend. “Hey, ‘Yuji? Could you help me out?” 

Ryuji wasted no time in bolting to Akira’s side. “I need you to pick up the other end of this thing and we’ll take it over to the couch.”

“The couch? What the hell is it?” Ryuji asked as he went on to do what Akira asked. The thing they were carrying was not only _heavy as hell_ , but covered in a dusty blanket. Akira probably dug this out from where it was buried deep in a closet.

“My parents bought it a couple years ago but it hardly ever got used. It should still work, though.” 

The distance between the closet and the couch wasn’t very long but it was still heavy enough that it felt like forever until they could put it down. Morgana sat cleaning himself in the spot where it had to go but once he saw them coming, he darted away to safety. 

“Okay, nearly threw my back out trying to lift this thing. So, now can I know what this is?” Ryuji stretched his arm muscles out, sore from carrying bags all day and now carrying whatever-the-hell Akira pulled out of his closet.

Akira smiled and grabbed a corner of the blanket. With a flourish, he pulled it away to reveal the surprise. “Ta-dah!”

A large kotatsu was laid out in front of them, bigger than the ones Ryuji had seen in stores. He didn’t think they made them this big. The surface looked a little dusty from misuse, but like Akira said, it was still in amazing shape. It looked like it could be a floor model in a mall or something.

“This thing is way warmer than a blanket. And check it out.” Akira pushed it further towards the couch and here, Ryuji realized, it was a perfect fit into the couch’s center indent. Like a puzzle piece sliding in to finish the puzzle. “It’s supposed to fit in with the couch and make this sort of big bed you can use. My parents would normally just use the couch the way it was, but I always thought it was a waste to not use it.”

Akira climbed onto the couch and under the kotatsu, adjusting pillows until he was comfy. Morgana didn’t waste a moment before jumping up onto the kotatsu table, sprawling himself out in anticipation for the incoming heat. “This is gonna be so cool! I’ve never been on a kotatsu before!” The cat’s whiskers twitched in excitement.

Akira patted the cushion next to him until Ryuji joined in.

“Ma and I used to have one a few years ago. We’d break it out every winter until it broke and we couldn’t really afford one after that. Used to _love_ it, though.” 

“Remind me to get your mom a kotatsu for Christmas. All right, time to turn it on!” Akira changed the subject before Ryuji could even take a breath to argue, but he did kick him under the covers to make his point.

A quick button press and a burst of heat hit them almost immediately. Morgana leaped down into their laps and relaxed with a deep sigh, his little body melting into a furry puddle as Akira reached over to scratch behind his ears. The cold climate of the basement had nothing against the comfortable warmth of the kotatsu. And the cushions of the couch were soft and cushy enough that you could lay back as if it were a bed. The most comfortable bed Ryuji had ever laid in.

“‘Kira, I don’t think I can go home now.”

“Why?”

“Cuz you’ve shown me the good life and I don’t wanna go back.”

Akira gently nudged Ryuji in the ribs, getting a small giggle out of him from the ticklish reaction. He snuggled closer to Ryuji, intent on both sharing the kotatsu’s warmth and body heat. Ryuji’s arms immediately opened to let Akira lay his head on his shoulder and drape himself over his chest. Morgana grumbled about being moved out of his spot but found an even better spot laying on Ryuji’s other side, where he had the room to really stretch out and warm himself up.

They laid there in silence for who knows how long. In hindsight, it would’ve been a good idea to turn the TV on and get their movie started before they got comfortable, because now neither of them wanted to get up. But, it didn’t bother the couple.

“I’m really glad you came, Ryuji.” Akira’s quiet rumble disrupted the silence and Ryuji smiled, slowly trailing his fingers through Akira’s soft hair. Just like a cat, Akira curled in closer, his arm wrapped around Ryuji’s waist to prevent him from moving.

“I am too.”

Eventually, they would have to get up. They still had a list of movies to watch (and pay little to no attention to), snacks to eat, conversations to have, and the inevitable bathroom breaks that would come. 

But, they had plenty of time to do that later. Right now, this little moment of peace, where everything was warm and comfortable, and they had each other to lean on and nobody to disturb them.

It was enough.

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for the Pegoryu Discord Server Secret Santa, my first ever participation in the event! I've been with the server for almost a year now and it's been an amazing ride! I've met so many cool people, so many new friends, and I feel honored to be included in everything they do. I tried to put my all into this and, even though, I don't think it's my best work, I'm still proud that I managed to finish it and be included in the event. Happy holidays to all and here's to another year of pegoryu fluff!


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